Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-10-23
ROBERT EDWARD LEE.
A Short sketch OF a Life Crowded
with Important Events.

with Important Events.
Robert Edward Lee was born a
Stratford, in Westmoreland county
Virginia-land of illustrious men-or
the 18th day of January, 1906, anC
dying at Lexington, Va, on the 12tl
day Of October, 1870, he lived sixty
four years crowded with useful WORK
and illustrious deeds.
LEES YOUTH.
His boyhood was so filled with
laboIious work at school and filial
duties at home that his teachers pro.
nOunced him the best scholar they ever
had, and his mother exclaimed when he
left her TO go to West Point : Chow
can / get along without Robert ? He
has been both son and daughter to me. .
A SOLDIER.
Graduating at West Point without
ever receiving a single demerit, and
greatly distinguishing himself as a
young engineer officer, he won in
Mexico the highest reputation, and
was pronounced by General Scott to be
1.-the very best soldier he ever saw in
the field"
In 1852 he was made superintendent
Of the Military Academy, and exhibited
the highest qualities as a manager and
teacher of boys.
In 1866 he was made lieutenant-
colonel of the famous Second cavalry,
and in the autumn of 1859 he commanded
the marines who captured John Brown
at Harper's Ferry.
THE WAR OF 1861.
IN March, 1861, he was made colo
mel of cavalry, and i'll April was Of
fered supreme command of the United
states armies and every influence
brought to bear upon him to induce
Inn to "stand 10y the old flag"
Eut he promptly rejected the tempt
ing offer, resigned his commission, and
came to Richmond, where he was made
commander-in-chief Of the Virginia
forces, and not long after full Confede-
rate general.
TIE BATTLES BEFORE RICHMOND.
Busy in the unostentatious but i'm
portant work Of organizing the Virgi-
MIA and Confederate forces, conducting
the West Virginia campaign, and pre-
pairing the sea coast defences OF South
Carolina and Georgia for the immortal
fame they afterwards won, General
Lees splendid Confederate career
really began when, on the wOunding
Of General Johnston at Seven Pines, he
was appointed to the command of the
Army of Northern Virginia.
With 5000 men (the largest army
he ever commsnded) he attacked Ne
Clellan's lO5, 900, strongly entrenched,
and drove them to the cover OF their
gunboats at Harrison's Landing.
SECOND BATTLE OF MANASSAS.
With a greatly inferior force he de-
feated John Pope on the plains OF Ma
nassas and drove him into the fortifca-
tons at Washington, captured Har-
psr's Ferry with its garrison and i'm
mense stores, and, with $4,000 men.
defeated every effort of McClellan's
$1,000 men to drive him from the field
of Sharpsburg.
tkEDElklNhSbl ld--tEl 1 1SbOhps
He won the great victory of Fredo-
ricksburg on the 18th OF December,
1862, with only 10000 OF his army
actually engaged against Burnside's
100, 600, and in May, 1863, with 81, 600
men, lac inflicted at Charlottesville a
crushing defeat on Hooker's 1872, 900.
At Gettysburg, with 1000 men, he
fought Meado's 105, 600, won a decided
victory on the first day, gained i'm
portant advantages on the second day,
and always believed land said among
his iriends) that he failed of o COM
plete victory on the third day only be-
cause Of the most positive disobedience
of his orders.
FACES GRANT.
In the campaign of 1864 General
Grant had more than two hundred and
seventy five thousand men, to whom
Lee could oppose a bare seventy-fye
thousand ragged heroes, and yet the IT.
suit Of the summer campaign was that
Lee outgeneralled Grant at every point
and whipped him in every battle until
Grant, after losing more men than Lee
had, sat down TO the siege OF Peters
burg--a position he might have taken at
first without firing q shot or losing a
man--while Lee made his lines impreg-
nable TO direct assault aud sent o
column under Early to invade Mary.
land and threaten Washington.
THE WASTING PROCESS.
Then followed that slow process OF
"attrition by which Lees army was
reduced to 80, 900 starving men to guard
forty miles Of breastworks. The thin
lines we're stretched until they were
broken, and 1900 men were surren-
dered at Appomattox 10 the "oyer-
whelmiDg numbers and resources
brought against them.
No wonder that the eminent English
soldier has pronounced Lee the great
General OF the English.speaking peo-
pie the future historian who weighs
all OF the facts will pronounce him the
Great Captain OF the centuries.
AT LEXINGTON.
But grand as be was in war he was